Debates of May 1st, 2015

Housing

[Robert Aubin, NDP, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, despite the gravity of the disaster, the Conservatives' latest budget shows their complete lack of compassion for pyrrhotite victims.

Instead of providing financial assistance to the victims who need it, the government chose to adopt policies that help the wealthy. Just think of income splitting and the increased TFSA limit.

Why do the Conservatives keep ignoring this disaster, which is now expanding to other regions of the country? I hope they are not going to tell me that people's misery is a provincial jurisdiction.

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, as a matter of fact it is a matter of provincial responsibility, and as we know, in the province of Quebec, there is a program to deal with that. We on this side of the House believe very much in respecting the jurisdiction of the provinces.

We respect provincial jurisdictions and we intend to continue doing so.

The Environment

[John McKay, Liberal, Scarborough—Guildwood, ON]

Mr. Speaker, what do these environmental charities all have in common? The David Suzuki Foundation, Tides Canada, Pembina Institute, Environmental Defence, and Sierra Club have all been critical of the government's environmental policy, and all have received unsolicited, aggressive, and unwarranted attention from the CRA.

The minister is going to stand in her place and with a straight face say that these are just routine audits. Why does the minister not use some of that $750 million to stop this witch hunt against legitimate and—

[Gerald Keddy, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture]

Mr. Speaker, I am a bit surprised by the hon. member's question. I think he is aware that charities must respect the law and that CRA has a legal responsibility to ensure that charitable dollars, donated by charitable Canadians, are used for charitable purposes.

I also think he is aware that CRA audits occur at arm's length. They are conducted free of any political influence or interference or motivation. The CRA charities directorate acts independently.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Shoal Lake 40 First Nation has had to deal with a boil water advisory for 17 years. Now the ferry connecting the reserve to the outside world has been shut down.

Chief Erwin Redsky says that without the ferry, people on the man-made island have no way to get groceries, bottled water or immediate medical attention, and normal life on the reserve is virtually impossible.

The question for the minister is, what is the minister prepared to do to resolve the state of emergency at the Shoal Lake 40 First Nation?

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, our immediate priority is ensuring the health and safety of Shoal Lake residents. Our emergency management team is in contact with the community to determine the needs and identify areas where we can assist. Our government will continue to stand ready and provide any assistance that the community may require.

Science and Technology

[Djaouida Sellah, NDP, Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Space Agency continues to struggle. Despite the paltry amounts announced with great fanfare in the latest budget, the agency continues to suffer because of the Conservatives' draconian cuts. It used to be that the Canadian Space Agency was a jewel of the Canadian economy. Now, the agency is struggling to hold onto expertise as staff are laid off.

Will the government finally ensure that our Canadian Space Agency will remain one of our finest institutions?

[Mike Lake, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, this is a very interesting question from the opposition, seeing as the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada had this to say about budget 2015: it said that the budget “is good news for Canadian companies, their employees, and our economy”.

The Canadian aerospace and space industry accounts for more than 170,000 quality jobs and adds over $28 billion to Canada's GDP. Canada's aerospace sector is one of the most innovative in the world and is a huge contributor to jobs and economic growth.

Our government will continue to work with our private and international partners to ensure that Canada's aerospace sector—

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

Order, please. The hon. member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles.

Official Languages

[Anne-Marie Day, NDP, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, barely 2% of immigrants who settle outside Quebec speak French as their first official language. That is well below the government's objectives for ensuring the survival of French outside Quebec.

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration praised the new express entry program as the solution to the problem. However, of the 22,000 people in the recruitment pool, only 200 are francophone.

The minister is supposed to ensure that 4% of immigrants are francophone. How is his approach going to achieve that?

[Costas Menegakis, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to promoting francophone immigration through our permanent immigration programs across Canada under the express entry system. Most applications are processed within six months or less.

Last year alone, we welcomed almost 1,500 francophone immigrants outside of Quebec through our economic programs for permanent immigration. Our government's goal is to increase the number of francophone immigrants who settle outside of Quebec to more than 4% of all economic immigrants by 2018.

The Budget

[Pat Perkins, Conservative, Whitby—Oshawa, ON]

Mr. Speaker, our government introduced the family tax cut and enhanced universal child care benefit, which will make life more affordable for 100% of families with children. In fact, the average family will save $6,600, thanks to our measures.

Sadly, the NDP and the Liberals have pledged to reverse these measures. Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment please explain what the Liberals and the NDP want to take away from our families?

[Scott Armstrong, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hard-working member for Whitby—Oshawa for her support for Canadian moms and dads across the country.

The member is right that both the Liberals and the NDP have been full-throated in their outright disdain for our plan to provide more money directly to parents in Canada. The NDP leader actually claims that these tax breaks are giveaways. He does not think that Canadians deserve to have the money that they earn.

The Liberals and NDP want higher taxes on middle-class families. That is their plan. High taxes on the middle class: on this side of the House, we will not do that. Instead, we will continue to reduce taxes on middle-class families.

Canadian Heritage

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the budget will extend copyright for sound recordings from 50 to 70 years. That is what it is in the United States and Europe.

However, the government has done nothing for Canadian songwriters whose works will still be protected for just 50 years after their death. Americans' and Europeans' works are protected for 70 years after their death.

Why has the Conservative government neglected songwriters? Can the parliamentary secretary answer this question about songwriters and not avoid the question like the minister did yesterday?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I applaud the member for at least taking a look at the budget and seeing within it that there are a lot of measures for arts and culture. We have introduced the Canada 150 fund, which means we are extending the copyright term for artists from 50 to 70 years. It will modernize the Canadian honour system.

There is a lot of good stuff in the budget for culture. He should support it. I know that Randy Bachman likes what we are doing.

Veterans Affairs

[Gary Schellenberger, Conservative, Perth—Wellington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian veterans played a crucial role in the campaign to liberate the Netherlands during the Second World War. They fought for freedom and Canadian values.

As the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands is upon us, can the Minister of Veterans Affairs please update the House on what our government is doing to to commemorate this important part of our history?

[Erin O'Toole, Minister of Veterans Affairs, CPC]

Mr. Speaker, later today I will be leading a delegation of over 60 veterans to the Netherlands to celebrate and commemorate 70 years since Canadians liberated that country and remember the 7,600 who sacrificed their lives in that effort.

Each will have a caregiver with them. I have been disappointed this week that in Stratford, 90-year old Art Boon is unable to take his son as his caregiver. There is still time for the Avon Maitland school board to reconsider this decision and allow a history teacher to accompany his father, who is living history to the Netherlands.

Copyright Act

[Massimo Pacetti, Independent, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last year's report from the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, which reviewed Canada's music industry, did not raise the duration of copyright protection as a concern. That was rightly so, because it is not a priority for Canadians.

Unfortunately this is a very important priority to music industry lobbyists who met with the Minister of Canadian Heritage several times last year, which is why I am not surprised to see that the government is extending the term of copyrights for sound recordings from 50 years to 70 years in this year's budget.

By extending the length of these copyright protections, does the Minister of Canadian Heritage not realize that more money will go to the multinational record companies, while Canadian consumers will pay more?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge and thank the hon. member for question because it reiterates the important study that took place at the committee on heritage and culture. The work we did and the recommendations that were made with respect to the music industry helped lead to the decision to extend copyright from 50 to 70 years and protect artists across our country. Those in the industry are supporting us.

For example, Barry Sookman, copyright intellectual property lawyer, said: “The extension amendments will enable Canada to harmonize its copyright laws with the laws in more than 60 other countries..”. We are right on track when it comes to the music industry.

International Trade

[Massimo Pacetti, Independent, Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we are hearing less and less about negotiations on the trans-Pacific partnership, the TPP, but surprise: the 2015 budget would extend protection under the Copyright Act by 20 years. Strangely, there had been no discussions about it, and the stakeholders did not ask for this. Moreover, many studies oppose it. The fact is that this is not something Canadians are particularly concerned about.

Can the Minister of International Trade tell us if this amendment is a strategic gift to American lobbyists to finalize the TPP negotiations?

[Rick Dykstra, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, over 60 countries are doing this. We certainly are in line. In fact, the word “pandering” perhaps works on the other side of the House, but it does not work on this side of the House.

We listened to the industry. Witnesses came to committee. We made recommendations. Many of those recommendations were actually supported by the other side of the House.

These measures and our government are protecting the interests of artists and their work for a much longer period of time, by extending copyright from 50 to 70 years. This will protect performers and producers of sound recordings from having their copyright expire during their own lifetimes.

Foreign Affairs

[Parm Gill, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of International Trade, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “United Nations Convention on Transparency in Treaty-based Investor-State Arbitration”, done at Port Louis on March 17.

An explanatory memorandum is included in this treaty.

Government Response to Petitions

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to three petitions.

Iran Accountability Week

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, there have been some discussions among the parties and I am hopeful that there will be unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, a take-note debate on the subject of Iran Accountability Week take place pursuant to Standing order 53.1 on Tuesday, May 5, 2015 and any member rising to speak during the debate may indicate to the Chair that he or she will be dividing his or her time with another member.

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Barry Devolin]

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?